The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-09-06
JESSE POMEROY.
A Notorious Boy Murderer At
tempts to Escape.
Cutting the Bars Of His Cell With
Slender Saws.

A Boston dispatch says that Jesse Pomeroy,
the most notorious prisoner in the State
prison, has made another attempt to escape.
Pomeroy is the boy fiend who tor
tured to death two or three children
about a dozen years ago, and who
at the age Of sixteen years, was
sentenced to be hanged Governor CASTOR
COMMITTED the sentence to life imprisonment
in solitary cell. Pomeroy has been detect
ed in half dozen plans for escaping, and he
has always required the closest watching. He
is abnormally cunning-a model convict
in outward behavior, but keenly obServant
and tirelesS in plotting to gain his liberty.
Before the reconstruction of the prison and
its extension PomerOy occupied a cell In
the upper arch. The wing was extended
and six new cells added in the
arch. Adjoining this wing are
several specially strong cells. On
either side of these cells are grated
bars, allowing full view of the narrow quar-
tiers from both sides, and the guard as he
makes the rounds can be continually in sight
of the inmates. Directly over the arch is the
hospital, and it is thought that from this place
came the assistance which so nearly gave the
murderer his liberty.
In his regular round the guard while lean
ing against the window felt two of the iron
bars give way to the pressure of his hand,
and moment later they fell to the ground.
The guard discovered that two other bars
d
few minutes labor would have rendered
them as useless as the broken ones.
Hastily summOning the officials, another in
Spection made, the broken and damaged
bars were replaced with new ones, and tour
of the cells was begun. By instinct they made
for Pomeroy's cell At a glance the two
massive iron gratings seemed impregnable,
but closer scrutiny showed that enough bars
in the side nearest the window to admit the
body of a man had been cut through, but so
fastened by means of cement that even the
heavy changing of the door did not shake
them. Where the cement was concealed has
not yet been ascertained. Pomeroy was
taken to safer quarters and searched, p1G
two slender saws. He refused to
disclose VINO furnished them, where
the cement had been obtained, or now long
the work had been going on. 1t is said, how
ever. that he said enough to leave the infer
ence that the time for escape had been def
nitely fixed, and that conveyance would be
in waiting to take him to place of safety.
Since Pomeroy's sentence h has been in
hours outing with the Warden. When not
otherwise employed he has been busy with
pouring over books, and has the repu-
tation Of being close student Indeed,
he has already mastered Latin and
Greek, and can converse with some
fuency in French and German. His first at
tempt to escape was made some nine years
ago. Then Pomeroy spent his leisure moments
in loosening rock that formed part of the
centre wall of the prison ana the wall of his
cell. For years evidently he had been at work
on that rock. and had finally succeeded
in separating it from the surrounding wall.
To get it out of the way was the next ques-
ton, and, thoughtleSS of the consequence, he
forced it outward slowly, until one day the
guard, looking down the massive wall, saw
the projecting rock and made an investiga-
ton. PomerOy was then taken to stronger
cell